Railroad-train signal.



No.79'7,191. PATEN'I'ED AUG 15 1905.

S. E. FOREMAN.

RAILROAD TRAIN SIGNAL APPLIUATION FILED HAR.28.1905.

Witnesses Attorneys No. 797,191. PATENTED AUG. 15 1905. S. E. FOREMAN.

RAILROAD TRAIN SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.Z8.1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEB'J. 2.

Attorneys SAMUEL E. FOREMAN, OF. PADUCAH, KENTITUUKY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 15, 1905.

Application filed March 28, 1905. Serial No- 252,558.

To all who/1t it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SAMUEL E. FOIUGMAN,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Paducah, in the county of McUracken and State of Kentucky, have invented a new and useful Railroad-Train Signal, of which the following is a specification.

'lhisinvention relates to electrical signaling and safety appliances for use in connection. with railway systems, and has for its principal object to provide a novel means for sounding an alarm in the cabs of engines which approach each other in the same track.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel means for sin'iultanemisly sounding an alarm and operatingatrain-controlling means-such, for instance, as the throttlevalve or the air-brakes.

W'ith these and other objects in view, as will more fully hereinafter appear, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed outin the appended claims, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportions, size, and minor details of the structure may be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanyingdrawings, Figure 1 is a general diagram of a railway signaling and safety system arranged in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation illustrating the mounting of the trolley-wheels on the locomotive or tender. Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view of the cylinder in which the explosive charge is placed for operating the train-controlling mechanism. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of one of the trolleywire-supporting standards. Fig. 5 is a detail View illustrating the manner in which the 'trolley'wire is depressed at points where the railroad crosses highways.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

in the drawings, 10 and 11 designate the traffic-rails, and 12 and 13 are bare electrical conductors extending parallel with the traiiicrails and preferably supported by small standards 13, carried by and insulated from the 'ailroad-ties or other supports.

Under the locomotive or the tender is ar ranged a pivotally-mounted frame 15, carrying a pair of boxes 16, in which are journaled grooved rollers 17, which may be connected by a common spindle 18, preferably formed in sections insulated from each other by a block 1.9. These rollers are pressed down into cngagcn'ient with the conductors 12 and 13 by means of springs 20; but their downward IHOVGIHOHE is limited, so that when they leave the conductors, as at crossings, they will not be forced down into contact with the ties or roaddaed. The pivoted frame on each locomotive is connected by a suitable rod 21 to a lever 22, movable over a notched locltingscgment 23 and provided with the usual lockinglatch 24 in order that the trolley-wheels may be raised from engagement with the conductors when the engine is working at shifting in a'yard or is approaching a terminal station where large numbers of trains are rm'ming on the same track. The conductors 12 and 13 are depressed at points where they cross highways and are protected by insulated sleeves 26.

In the cab of the locomotive is a source of electrical energy, represented in the present instance in the form of a battery or batteries 27, and one pole of the battery is connected to the primary of an induction-coil 28 by means of a wire 29, the circuit being thence continued by a wire 30 through a metallic cylinder 31. in the primary circuit is also arranged an interrupter 27 of any suitable construction.

The cylinder 31 is open at one end and is adapted to receive a charge of gunpowder or any other explosive compound, and through the closed end of the cylinder is inserted a sparking plug 31 or electrical fuse of the type ordinarily employed in gas-engines or the primers of blasting charges. The open end of the cylinder receives an operating member 34-, littingsnugl y thereinto,said memher being connected to a post 35, and this in turn may be connected to the throttle-valve or to the air-brake mechanism or any other train-controlling device, so that if the explosion occurs the train will be slowed down or stopped. The cylinder 31 is provided with one or more openings 37 to permit the escape of the gases and to some extent lessen the effect of the explosive force on the operating member 34:.

The batteries or other source of electrical energy are of a predetermined strength in order that the circuits may become o )erative when two trains approach within a predetermined d stance of each other, and the batteries are connected in series. For ordinary purposes enough batteries are employed to operate the device when the trains approach Within a limit of one mile, but beyond that the current Will not be strong enough to operate the interrupter 27.

Should two trains approach each other Within the danger limitone mile, for instance a circuit may be traced from a battery 27 of train X through Wire 36 to one of the trolleys, conductor 13, Wire 37 to cylinder 31 on the train Y, and thence through a Wire 30, the primary of the induction-coil 28, Wire 29, interrupter 27, battery 27, Wire 36' of train Y, trolley-Wheel, conductor 12, the trolley-Wheel of train X, Wire 37 cylinder 31 and through the primary of the induction-coil to return to the battery of train X, thus completing a primary circuit, and if, as before stated, the current is of suflicient strength the interrupter will operate and the sparking circuit may be traced from the secondary to the induction coil through Wire 30, cylinder 31, to one of the members of the sparking plug, across the sparking gap to the second member of the sparking plug, and Wire 40 to the secondary, this occurring on each train, and the explosive charge being detonated with the result that the attention of the engineer is instantly attracted and the controlling member is operated for the purpose of shutting off the steam or setting the air-brakes.

It has been found in practice that it is perfectly feasible to so regulate the current strength that the charges will not be detonated unless the trains approach Within a predetermined distance of each other.

while the apparatus has been shown as intended principally for sounding Warning-signals in the cabs of trains approaching each other, it is obvious that by employing suitable pole-changers the system may be used to prevent rear-end collisions.

Having thus described the invention, What is claimed is- 1. In apparatus of the class described, a casing arranged for the reception of an eX- plosive compound, a train-controlling member extending partially Within the casing, and an electrically-operated firing device operable on the approach of trains Within a danger limit for detonating the compound.

2. In a system of the class described, roadbed conductors, trolley-wheels carried by the trains and engaging said conductors, a source of electrical energy, and an induction-coil on each train, the sources of energy being continuously connected in series, and the strength of the current being so regulated as to be inoperative until the trains approach Within the danger limit, an open-ended casing arranged on each train and adapted to contain an explosive compound, a trainoperating member having a portion projecting Within the open end of the casing, a sparking plug, and means connecting the sparking plug to the secondary of the induction-coil.

in testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto alfixed my signature in the presence of tWo Witnesses.

SAMUEL E. FOREMAN.

lVitnesses:

O. E. GRIDLEY, H. \V. lVAI/rnRs. 

